What genre works best in indie?

[mad_hatter]

...There is no universal action or sci fi or documentary.

I have to disagree. Comedy is very subjective. I'm British. I find very few American comedies funny. They have their moments, sure. But most of the time, I just don't get it.

Regardless of any language barrier, Action is still Action so long as people are shooting at each other and blowing shit up. Sci-Fi is still Sci-Fi so long as there's an alien or two (or three, or any one of the numerous other elements that make up the Sci-Fi genre). A Documentary is still a Documentary as long as it... well... documents something.

 

[Cracker Funk]

I don't think any of us should worry about pleasing everybody. So what if comedy isn't universal? The same is true of action and sci-fi -- not everybody appreciates it.

Just make a movie that you, yourself, would want to watch. That's how you make good movies. Forget trying to please other people. Please yourself (no sexual entendre intended), and hopefully, other people will have the same tastes and likes as you do.

 

[rayw]

Please yourself (no sexual entendre intended), and hopefully, other people will have the same tastes and likes as you do.

Nah, I think it works both for filmmaking and sex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genres
1.1 Action - Kinda self explanatory
1.2 Adventure - Costume wearing & role playing
1.3 Comedy - Clown sex
1.4 Crime - Binding & bondage
1.5 Documentary - Fake doctor visit
1.6 Erotic - Pole dancing
1.7 Faction - BDSM
1.8 Fantasy - Cross dressing trannies
1.9 Historical - Missionary style
1.10 Horror - Dripping hot candle wax
1.11 Mystery - "Well, golly, Ma'am. How do you suppose THAT happened"?
1.12 Paranoid - Furries
1.13 Philosophical - College Co-Ed
1.14 Political - E.D.
1.15 Romance - Kissing all the way to downtown
1.16 Saga - Cyber sex
1.17 Satire - Dildos and strap ons
1.18 Science fiction - Princess Lay-ah
1.19 Slice of Life - Candid camera
1.20 Speculative - Peeping Tom
1.21 Thriller - Streaking & flashing
1.22 Urban - Oreo & Reverse Oreo

It's impossible to make everyone happy.
Just find someone else interested in the same sicko disgusting thing your parents and siblings don't need to know about and film it!

 

[DangerDigital]

I have to disagree. Comedy is very subjective. I'm British. I find very few American comedies funny. They have their moments, sure. But most of the time, I just don't get it.

Regardless of any language barrier, Action is still Action so long as people are shooting at each other and blowing shit up. Sci-Fi is still Sci-Fi so long as there's an alien or two (or three, or any one of the numerous other elements that make up the Sci-Fi genre). A Documentary is still a Documentary as long as it... well... documents something.

yeah, I can agree with this. I think action is probably the most universal, but I think there are still moments in the extreme that it can be too over the top or unnecessary and the audience will say "really? are they STILL fighting?" I mean, this never happens to me, I never get tired of seeing gunfights and car chases, but my mom will get bored with a movie if there is too much action.

Maybe its because its physical communication, and maybe its easier to communication with a wider demographic with non verbal communication. I guess the test of that would be to test the sticking power of oldschool slapstick comedy.

 

[freedom crusader]

What genre do you think works best in indie film?

I saw POSSESSION O'REILLY and CHERISH. Both good but low budget. The first used very inventive cinematography and use of darkness to scare your pants off. The second had an original plot.

Indie films often drag a bit because the director does not know how to drive the plot from one scene to the next. An indie director will just string one scene behind another, in other words, letting the writer do his work for him.

I ask this because for me, I cant sit through a low budget movie unless its funny. Doesn't matter if its documentary, sci fi, horror; For me, it has to be primarily comedy.

Horror and sci fi depend on expensive special effects. If it doesn't then it must create its plot from character. Solaris by Tarkovsky was sci fi that used virtually no SFX. But then, only art house people would go see it.

I guess when the acting is bad, and its obviously low budget,

Then the director must make a movie that does not depend on acting skills, e.g., facial expression, voice projection, body language. His actors will just deliver flat lines. The director must create meaning with cinematography. You can't just shoot one scene after another, you have to make it one whole thing.

I cant take it seriously unless it pokes fun at itself. I know a lot of people make films to convey a message, or an idea or something, but I prefer when it is delivered with comedy.

 

[CHamburger]

Nah, I think it works both for filmmaking and sex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genres
1.1 Action - Kinda self explanatory
1.2 Adventure - Costume wearing & role playing
1.3 Comedy - Clown sex
1.4 Crime - Binding & bondage
1.5 Documentary - Fake doctor visit
1.6 Erotic - Pole dancing
1.7 Faction - BDSM
1.8 Fantasy - Cross dressing trannies
1.9 Historical - Missionary style
1.10 Horror - Dripping hot candle wax
1.11 Mystery - "Well, golly, Ma'am. How do you suppose THAT happened"?
1.12 Paranoid - Furries
1.13 Philosophical - College Co-Ed
1.14 Political - E.D.
1.15 Romance - Kissing all the way to downtown
1.16 Saga - Cyber sex
1.17 Satire - Dildos and strap ons
1.18 Science fiction - Princess Lay-ah
1.19 Slice of Life - Candid camera
1.20 Speculative - Peeping Tom
1.21 Thriller - Streaking & flashing
1.22 Urban - Oreo & Reverse Oreo

It's impossible to make everyone happy.
Just find someone else interested in the same sicko disgusting thing your parents and siblings don't need to know about and film it!

Hatter, I think it comes down to the specific sense of humor people have, thats not necessarily bound by nationality or origin. I love those British comedy shows(keepin up appearances, as time goes by), and the holy grail is one of my favorite movies. There are lots of things that make me smirk or even chuckle a bit but there is only so much that prompts my oh so hearty laugh.

However you're right that the action, sci fi, horror, documentary genres are more universal. But I think its more the characteristics of their genre that define them. They're simple and don't really have any sub categories. Comedy has loads of sub genres so while you may not like the slapstick American Scary Movie or stupid stoner Dude wheres my car, you might like others in a different sub genre.

I think the best genre for an indie filmmaker is a mix of a couple(this is the ideal I say), but it all depends on what you have access to and what you are capable of. If you have access to cool fireworks and props then maybe try an action, but if you have some friends who really know how to act, then try a drama, if you have barely any access to locations then try shooting a documentary on the streets.

The ultimate best is amateur porn, there's always an audience.

 

[mad_hatter]

Keeping Up Appearances? I never knew that anybody found that funny! I was thinking more along the lines of the British “The Office” compared to the American “The Office”.

Of course, Comedy could be seen as a ‘sub-genre’ itself. It’s not quite a genre, it’s more a by-product of jokes being told within a film of another genre. If the jokes outweigh the other elements of the film, it becomes a comedy. If your comedy isn’t funny, suddenly your film becomes nothing more than a poor drama/sci-fi/horror/etc.

 

[CHamburger]

Keeping Up Appearances? I never knew that anybody found that funny! I was thinking more along the lines of the British “The Office” compared to the American “The Office”.

Of course, Comedy could be seen as a ‘sub-genre’ itself. It’s not quite a genre, it’s more a by-product of jokes being told within a film of another genre. If the jokes outweigh the other elements of the film, it becomes a comedy. If your comedy isn’t funny, suddenly your film becomes nothing more than a poor drama/sci-fi/horror/etc.

Its not rip roaring kinda funny, but it is amusing how she tries very hard to be classy with all these forces blocking her. I think its because she reminds me of the way my grandmother and oldest aunt behave at public and family functions. "No not the good china, thats for company, get the paper plates"

I didn't even mean comedy as a subgenre I meant within comedy there are sub genres but you raise a good point. Comedy is more in writing and less in intended genre. But this gioes back to what you said about comedy being subjective, what I find funny in a comedy action might not be for you and thus making it just an action movie for you. I guess we can say even genre can interpretive.

 

[TheNoob]

I have to disagree. Comedy is very subjective. I'm British. I find very few American comedies funny. They have their moments, sure. But most of the time, I just don't get it.

Regardless of any language barrier, Action is still Action so long as people are shooting at each other and blowing shit up. Sci-Fi is still Sci-Fi so long as there's an alien or two (or three, or any one of the numerous other elements that make up the Sci-Fi genre). A Documentary is still a Documentary as long as it... well... documents something.

I think it depends on the jokes. Some jokes are more universal, tax, death, computers, phones, sex, drugs, etc... But cultural jokes like cities, people, celebs (from Great Britain) don't translate well because I know very little about them.

I can only think of Jimmy Carr, but I think he's funny.

And Comedy is a genre. Romantic-comedy is a sub-genre.